Chains
by Crowsnight66
Summary: With his father in a coma, what was Allen supposed to do? That man never mentioned sex trafficking or forced prostitution. Allen finds a new family in the other victims and in a few months, all that's left of him is a shell. A shell of fear that can be bought for its body. There was no way he could be saved. Or maybe he could. AllenKandaAllen. Warnings inside. PLEASE R/R!
1. Stolen

**Warning: This story is rated T for sex trafficking, prostitution, rape, shounen-ai/yaoi, abuse, and violence.**

_**Chains**_

_Chapter 1: Stolen_

"I'm sorry, Allen. The law won't allow us to hire minors less than fourteen years of age," the man said. I nod and glue a smile to my face. "I understand, Mr. Tiedoll. Thank you."

Tiedoll returned the smile before he walked down the hall of the animal shelter. This was the ninth business I'd visited. No one would hire me because I'm only twelve. It sucks.

I walk out the door and make my way back to the hospital where my father laid in a coma due to a car accident. Doctors said he didn't show any signs of recovery.

"Hey, kid."

I turn to see an overweight man with an umbrella. His smile sends chills up my spine. "Are you looking for a job?"

"Yeah," I say. He takes a step forward. I step back.

"You're in luck. I have a business with no age requirements." He points towards a black van. "Plenty of kids get paid big bucks for it."

"What's the job?" I ask, still keeping my distance.

"Customer service," he says.

"Customer service?"

He nods. "You do manual labor for a few clients. One customer pays up to three-hundred."

I perk. "Really?"

"Yes, I wouldn't lie."

I look at the van. "How do I join?"

"Just come with me," he said. As he waddled towards the van, I follow. He opened the back door and gestured for me to get in. My foot had hardly touched the floor when I felt a hard shove from behind. In the darkness of the van with tinted windows, hands held me down while I kicked. "Help! Someone help m―!"

A towel is pushed into my mouth. "Shut up!"

It was a different man. From the number of hands on me, there were two men plus the man I'd met, who started the van. I'm flipped over to my stomach, a knee in the small of my back. I wince as my hands are bound with duct tape.

"You're ours now," one man whispered in my ear. I attempt to kick him, but my other captor duct taped my ankles together. An acute pain pierces my side, and I try to scream. Nothing came out other than muffled cries as tears well in my eyes.

_Mana! Mana, please! Help me!_

I cry out again, but this time, a hand grabbed the back of my head and banged in on the floor. It all went black.

oO_Oo_oO_Oo

A headache was the first thing I felt. Next was a cold, hard floor. Almost like concrete. The sound of voices followed.

"Do you think he's alright?"

"Lenalee, they wouldn't injury him too badly yet."

"But Kanda…."

"I've been here long enough to know that. They only care enough to keep us alive. We're worthless if we can't perform."

I pull at my bonds slightly and cough.

"He's awake!"

"Really? I didn't notice."

"Stop being a jerk and untie him."

"Get Lavi to do it."

"You know Lavi's too tired."

A curse. Then warm hands are on my wrists. The tape felt more like rope at this point, and I hiss.

"Relax."

The somewhat deep voice left no room for argument. I wince as the tape is pulled away, probably out of my skin. I roll over and look at my bloody wrists. It hurt to move.

"Stay still."

A boy knelt by my ankles, tearing the bonds restraining me. His blue-black hair hung as a dull veil around him and even in the dark, I could see his dark blue eyes fixed on my skin. Dirt, bruises, and scars covered him. His muscle shirt was torn in several places, as well as his jeans. His shirt barely came to his navel, and I could see his ribs easily.

He pried the last of the tape from my ankles. I sigh in relief and push myself into a sitting position. "Thank you."

He looked up at me. "What's your name?"

"Allen Walker."

"Kanda. Welcome to the underworld."

"Kanda!" the feminine voice from earlier scolded. A girl appeared, her hair black and short. Her body and clothes were in the same shape as Kanda's, but she wore spandex instead. Her long legs bore target-like scars, almost like burn marks. She looked at me. "Sorry, he doesn't work well with newbies."

"So he was joking?" I ask. She moved her gaze to the concrete floor. "No, he wasn't."

Kanda stood. "Ever heard of sex trafficking? Forced prostitution?"

I nod. "Y-yeah."

"It's worse than it sounds on TV," he says.

The sun shined through the single barred window. The room was like a cave, littered with dirty blankets. Close to a dozen other kids were in the shadows, watching me. There were bars over what looked like a tunnel, though I could see that it was a door.

The girl tried to change the topic. "I'm Lenalee, by the way."

I nod, but don't say anything. There was no point. But after a moment, curiosity got the best of me. "How…how old are you?"

Lenalee continued to stare at the ground. "Eleven."

I glance at Kanda, who had leaned against the wall. He muttered, "Fourteen." He paused. "What about you?"

"Twelve," I answer quietly.

"Ever had sex before?"

I shake my head quickly. He opened his mouth, but the lights in the barred tunnel came on. A tall, well-dressed man unlocked the cage door, a belt in his hand. "Get to your rooms. Now!"

Most of the kids, including Lenalee, ran past him into the tunnel. They disappeared behind different curves next to stocky men. Kanda pulled me up and walked towards the man. "Let the new guy work with me tonight, Tyki."

The man, Tyki, narrowed his eyes. "And why should I do that?"

"Think about the money. Two boys, one experienced and the other a virgin. You could charge five times as much."

Tyki's eyes bored into me. I inched behind Kanda a little.

"Fine, but if you try something, you'll get more than a new flare."

Kanda didn't reply. I closely follow the bluenette down the tunnel. The curves were actually doors. One of them read "Raven Dancer". Kanda walked into it and I darted in behind him, the door guard thoroughly creeping me out as the door shut.

Inside the room, two lamps lit the windowless space. A king size bed was in the center of the room, and Kanda sat on it. I stood next to him. "Um…what are we doing in here?"

"You do know what prostitution is, right?" he asked in reply. I nod. "Yeah."

He sighed. "Men are going to come in here, and we have to serve them."

"Serve them?"

"Let them rape us."

My eyes widen. "What are you talking about?! I thought that…that we had to work…or something!"

"Has anyone ever told you that you have a late reaction time?"

I go to the door and twist the knob. It didn't budge. I kick it. "Let me out!"

Arms pull me away. "It's no use. You'll get beaten."

Tears come to my eyes. "B-but…Mana…he's alone…."

Kanda dragged me to the bed and sat me down. "Then do what you can to stay alive."

"Why are you so calm?! Are you really okay with this?!" I cry. He shakes his head. "Are you a moron? No, I'm not okay with this. I've been here for six years. I learned how to act. It's not like I haven't tried escaping before."

I look up at him, his image blurry from my tears. "What…what happened…?"

He pulled his tattered shirt up. On the left side of his chest, there was a three carved into his skin and a half circle around it with lightning-like streaks coming from it. "Each flare is from a time I've tried."

There were close to two dozen of them.

I ask, "Will it hurt? When they…."

"Yes," he says. "It'll probably be the most painful thing you've ever experienced. I'll try to take as much of it as I can, but I can't keep you safe completely."

"You hardly know me. Why would you do that?"

"It has nothing to do with how well I know you. You're part of the family now. We take care of each other."

He stares off into space, and I say, "It doesn't seem that way."

"What?" Kanda looks at me.

"You act like a big brother. This 'family' doesn't take care of each other; you take care of them."

He pauses. "I guess you could say that."

The door opens. A man with platinum blonde hair walks in. "Well, who's this?"

I duck a little behind Kanda as he says, "He's the new one. Unnamed at the moment."

"Mighty cute," the man says. "My name's Jack."

"He's a regular," Kanda adds. I inspect Jack, but he seemed better than what I had expected. Key word is "seemed". Kanda leans down to my ear and whispers, "Compared to some of my other regulars, you got lucky. He'll be gentle."

Jack walked over to the bed and looked at me with dark green eyes. "You're a virgin?"

I nod and try to scoot behind Kanda. Jack smiled sadly. "I'm sorry you got dragged into this."

"Then why do you buy?" Kanda spat.

"I'm a scumbag pedophile. It's not something I'm proud of, and I don't like sex trafficking. That might make me a hypocrite, but at least I'm not rough like your other clients," Jack said. Kanda glared at him, but didn't say anything.

The first hour went by, and Jack left. It was disgusting. I wanted and needed a shower. If I had eaten, I would have vomited. My butt hurt, but not nearly as much as after Kanda's next client.

Then came the third customer.

"I heard you were a feisty one," the man snarled. Kanda glared at him. "Weird way of putting it. I just don't like being raped and beaten, so I don't know where you got the word 'feisty' in all of that."

The man walked over to the bed where Kanda sat. I huddled in the corner, still in recovery from the second client. I watched as the man straddled Kanda and flipped him over. After he looked to the side to keep from suffocating, the bluenette looked at me and mouthed, "Don't look. Close your eyes and don't look."

But I didn't. I stared in horror while the man pulled off his belt and struck Kanda's back. The young teen gasped. The second achieved a cry of pain. The man leaned down to Kanda's ear. "I want to hear you scream, to hear you beg for me to stop."

Kanda coughed and after the third strike, blood splattered the white sheets. Despite that, the bluenette growled, "I will _never_ beg. Not for a sick sadist like you to stop your torture."

"Oh, you like it?"

_Crack!_

"You like the pain?"

_Crack!_

Kanda took all but a spanking for me. The fourth client liked me more than Kanda. The fifth got off on seeing us together.

After the sixth guy finished with Kanda and left, the guard told us to go back to the main room. It hurt to walk. Like every step I took, a thorn wedged itself further into me. Kanda didn't even limp, even after he'd been raped four times, two of those times much more roughly than the others, and been whipped with a leather belt. His clothes didn't hide anything, but it was the same for everyone. Except me. Other than my limp, I was pretty much perfect on the outside. My short-sleeved shirt and jeans hid the bruise on my upper arms and the inside of my thighs.

When everyone returned, I noticed a flaming red-haired boy next to Lenalee, wearing a black t-shirt and what looked like once white jeans. The girl leaned against him and whispered something. I could see the tears run down her cheeks.

Kanda sat away from the others, in a dark corner. The rest of the kids huddled together in a mound of dirty blankets. I move towards the bluenette and settle beside him. He looks at me, his eyes only visible by a tiny gleam. "Go sleep with them." He nodded towards the others. "It's warmer."

"But what about you?" I ask.

"I keep watch."

"Keep watch over what?"

"Sometimes, a customer will come in during the morning hours. I take care of those."

"You need sleep just as much as we do."

"Lavi splits it with me."

"Lavi?"

"The redhead taking care of Lenalee."

I nod. Kanda leans his head against the wall and stares at the cage door. I notice his grimace as he tries to get comfortable. I whisper, "Thank you, Kanda. For…doing what you did."

He sighs. "It was nothing."

I shake my head. "Stubborn moron."

"Shut up," he muttered.

A shiver runs up my spine. He glances at me. "Go get some sleep." He lightly nudges me towards the group in the other corner. "Go."

I press closer to him. "No, you helped me. Now I'm going to keep you warm."

"We'll see how long you say that. In a week, you'll be nothing but skin and bones. In a month, you'll have had your first real beating. In a year, you'll be a shell."

I shake my head. "No, I won't. I'll get back to Mana or die trying."

Kanda flicks my forehead.

"What was that for?!" I say.

"Don't throw your life around." He pauses. "I'm amazed you can even function properly. Most shutdown after the first night."

I look down at my wrists, covered in scabs. "I just tried to go somewhere else in my mind."

"That's the best thing to do."

I shiver again and yawn. Kanda says, "Go to sleep. Your nights will only get rougher from here."

Being careful not to touch of any wounds he might have that I can't see, I curl up against the bluenette. He slips an arm around me, and I let out a small purr.

Oo_oO_Oo_oO

The next morning, I woke up with more than one body pressed against mine. I open my eyes. Somewhere in the night, or morning, Kanda must have moved me into the big group. But he was still beside me, so I didn't mind that much.

"You'll have to change that," Kanda said. I glanced at him. "What?"

He kept his eyes closed. "You sleep like a rock. Bad habit in this line of work."

"Line of work?"

"Bad habit when you could get whipped for being asleep. Better?"

I wince. "Not really."

Cold hands slip under my shirt and up my back. I squeak, "Kanda?!"

"It's not me."

A girl with blue, spiky hair nuzzled into my chest. "Sorry…you're warm…."

I cover my mouth when I see the rest of her body, how frail and small she was.

Kanda's hand slithered over my hip and brought the girl closer. "Road. She's the youngest one of us."

"How old…?"

"Eight. Almost nine." He sighed. "She was born into the trade as far as I know."

I curl my arms around Road. "I'm so sorry."

"If you're sorry now, wait until they put her onto the list of girls who are allowed to have anal sex," Kanda said into my neck.

"You mean she hasn't already?"

"They like to wait until the girls are nine before they allow it. They charge extra," he says. "I didn't think Lenalee would ever stop crying after her first time."

"That's because it hurts, smart one," a feminine voice muttered from somewhere in the pile.

"Anyone know what time it is?" a boy asked.

I felt Kanda move beside me before he settled again. "Nearly sunrise."

"Kanda, will you give me a massage before my shift?" I recognize Lenalee's voice. "I think my backdoor ripped, and one of the guys was really kinky."

"Matthew?" someone asked.

Lenalee said, "No, he's new. Spencer, I think. He bought over two hundred extra in toys."

"I'm sorry, sweetie," the other girl said.

Kanda moved away from me. "If you want that massage, you better get up, Lena."

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" she said. There was a grunt, and she said, "Sorry, Daisya!"

A boy said, "It's fine. I didn't need that finger anyways."

I look over my shoulder to see Lenalee lay down on her stomach, a rag of a blanket between her and the ground. Kanda pushed up her shirt to reveal bruises, scars, and shallow, fairly recent-looking lacerations. As he worked his hands down her back and arms, he asked, "Is your lower back bothering you?"

She hisses momentarily before she answers, "Yeah. It wasn't bad the last couple of nights, but that Spencer guy made it start hurting again."

A few minutes later, the tunnel light came on, and Tyki appeared. "Day shifts. Come on!"

As two girls and four boys, including Lavi, rushed to the door, Lenalee stood and gave Kanda a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thanks. See you tonight."

He nods. "Just promise you'll come back."

She nods and darts off, narrowly avoiding Tyki's belt.

_She never slows down. She doesn't know why, but she knows that when she's all alone, feels like it's all coming down. She won't turn around. The shadows are long, and she fears if she cries that first tear, the tears will not stop raining down._

_So stand in the rain. Stand your ground. Stand up when it's all crashing down. You stand through the pain. You won't drown. And one day, what's lost can be found. You stand in the rain._

**Author Note: So what do you think? I wish to know! For those of you who are reading The Lycanthrope Trilogy, I will be writing this mostly, so updates for that story will be few and far between. Sorry! My inspiration gave out on me. Also, I love ideas for songs! So please, Please, PLEASE REVIEW! "Stand in the Rain"-Superchick. **


	2. Burned

**Guest: Thank you so much! You don't know how much that means to me!**

**Rebellious Lover: Thanks! I got Raven Dancer from the one-shot since I think it suits Kanda, even if he doesn't dance. You'll find out about Road later on. You'll find out about Allen's name in this chapter. Others you'll have to wait for. And I love "Unknown Soldier" and "World So Cold"! I have the CDs with them on it! And long reviews are very much encouraged!**

**MaxAngelOfDeath: Thank you for your review! Something will happen to his arm, but I will not say what. And yes, I love those songs!**

**Guest: Thanks!**

**Hanashi o suru: Thank you! I thought about rating it M to be safe, but I disliked the idea, so I tried extra hard to make it less graphic as far as the sex and violence, mostly violence.**

**SisBloodCarnivalOtaku: Thank you so much! You'll have to find out!**

**Lassenri: Thanks! And I'll take those songs into consideration. Love them! And you'll have to wait and see!**

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_**Chains**_

_Chapter 2: Burned_

_Borderline. Dead inside. I don't mind falling to pieces. Count me in. Violent. Let's begin feeding the sickness. How do I simplify? Dislocate. The enemy's on the way._

_Show me what it's like to dream in black and white. So I can leave this world tonight. _

― "_Unknown Soldier" by Breaking Benjamin_

It's been two months since I last saw Mana. Since I last saw Mr. Tiedoll. Since I last watched _Criminal Minds._ Since I last had a decent meal. Since I last slept in a bed.

Since I was kidnapped and forced into prostitution.

But with the others with me, it wasn't as bad as it could be. I hate it. I really do, but at least I have a family of some form.

I sit behind Kanda and run a fish spine through his hair, our makeshift brush. It worked well enough, I guess. I liked to brush his hair. It was soothing.

"Why don't they ever give you day shifts?" I ask as Daisya and Fou leave with Tyki.

"Tried to get away. Nearly made it, too," he said.

"What happened?"

"After about four years, they let me work a corner since I hadn't tried to escape for a few months, though I was being watched the whole time. After I took a client into a hotel room, I knocked him unconscious and crawled out of the bathroom window. Ran to the police. They arrested me for prostitution, but Tyki bailed me out and brought me back." Kanda sighed. "I never figured out whether they beat me into unconsciousness or if it was blood loss, but I was out for five days. That was the last time I tried to escape."

"Really?" I ask. "I figured you wouldn't have cared about a beating."

He stood abruptly and stalked towards the other side of our prison. I frown as he sits in the darkest corner.

"How'd you aggravate him?"

I look up at Lenalee. After I set the fish spine down, I lean against the wall. "Not sure. I only asked why he stopped trying to escape."

"They found out that his weakness is us."

I give her a confused look, and she explains, "I had been here for about a year when he tried the last time. After he woke up, they tied him up and forced him to watch while they made these." She pointed at the burns marks on her legs. A tear slipped down her cheek as she sat beside me. "I'm not even sure if my physical pain was greater than his emotional pain."

After she said it, the tunnel light came on. Tyki opened the cage door with his usual belt in hand. "I want some entertainment. Ecstasy, come on."

_That's Lenalee's name…._

"Do you really want a girl who will follow your every demand?"

As Kanda walks towards Tyki, I try to close my eyes, but can't. I've seen him seduce our owners before. Both times I nearly vomited, but I didn't have anything in my stomach to throw up. Lenalee looks down and whispers, "Kanda…don't…."

Tyki smirks. "Maybe I do. Though I like having to fight for my prize." He runs his tongue over his lips.

"She gets tired out too quickly." Kanda pressed himself against Tyki and moved the man's hands to his butt. "I can keep up with any treatment I'm given. She can't take it like I can."

In one lightning fast movement, Tyki wrapped his belt around Kanda's neck, not enough to choke him, but the bluenette went still. Tyki growled, "If you try to do anything, even hint at it, one of your little…clan members will get the beating for it. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Say it!"

Kanda gasped as the belt tightened. "I…I understand."

Once Tyki had taken Kanda to his room, Lenalee leaned against me while tears flowed down her cheeks. I wrap an arm around her, and she cuddled into my side. A scream resonated through the hall, though cut short. Lavi held Road while she cried. Everyone paired up, keeping each other strong.

That's when I see it. The cage door wasn't locked.

I pry Lenalee off of me. "Go to Lavi. I'm going to try to get help."

Her eyes widen and tremble as she clings to me. "No! You can't get out! They'll beat you!"

"But I have to try."

"Lenalee." Lavi gestured her to come to him. "He's going to try regardless of what you say."

She doesn't let go and whispers, "He knows what happened to Kanda. I…I don't want him to get hurt, too."

"I'll escape. And I'll send help for you and everyone," I tell her. Her grip slackens, and I wiggle away from her. She sniffles as she looks up at me with red, puffy eyes. "Be careful."

I nod and stand. When I opened the bar door, it creaked slightly. I wince, but don't stop. I glance at the doors to the different doors, unguarded. Raven Dancer for Kanda. Bunny Love for Lavi. Ecstasy for Lenalee. Sugar Berry for Daisya. Lioness Pride for Fou. Doll for Road. Chastity for Miranda. Black Beauty for Marie. And Snow White for me. It's disgusting.

Behind Kanda's door, I could hear a belt hitting skin and screams struggling against a gag. And Tyki's voice. "That's right. You're _my_ toy. My little servant."

At the end of the tunnel, there's a flight of stairs and a door at the top. I held my breath and darted up the steps, for each footfall a creak. The door knob felt cold under my skin, but I couldn't focus on it due to the pounding of my heart. Just as I go to turn the knob, the door opens on its own. The force sends me to my back against the stone floor. My breath vanishes for a moment as I close my eyes. Once the initial pain left, I take a breath. Then a hand grabs my hair.

I cry out as my captor drags me across the floor, and he asks, "Where were you going? Tyki won't appreciate any unplanned day shifts."

I claw at the hand in my hair and scream, "Let go of me!"

A door opens, followed by a curse. The relief of the hand leaving lasts for a split second before my oxygen is cut off as I dangle over the floor by my neck. I struggle to make him release me, but it's useless. Sapphire eyes gaze at me from the bed in the room while their owner pants, legs covered in blood. Lacerations oozed crimson on his back. Tears created trails on his dirty face, but never got past the filthy rag in his mouth, tied behind his head.

Tyki's golden eyes lock on me. He smirked. "Chain him up. Get the bleach."

oO_Oo_oO_Oo

"It…it…h-hurts…" I whimper. I taste tears in my mouth, but it's hardly noticeable in comparison to the pain in my left arm. Five minutes. They put my arm in bleach for five minutes. I never knew it could corrode my skin away. I never knew something could hurt so much.

I let out a choked scream as something is wrapped around my injury. A tongue lapped at my face, where they had left artwork from a knife. Tears dripped onto my skin as well. I whisper, "L…Lena…lee…?"

"Don't talk," a deep voice grumbled. "Moron."

"Kanda, don't…don't be so mean," Lenalee sniffled between licks.

"If I had been here, I would have whacked him myself," Kanda muttered.

Then there's another male voice. The second oldest boy in the Noah's trade. "But you weren't. You decided to let Tyki play with you instead."

"The last time he touched Lena, she couldn't walk for two days, not to mention how badly she ripped. Everyone knows it hurts more for a girl's entrance to rip than either gender's backdoor, Lavi."

"You aren't the only one here! I could've―"

"Please, don't fight," Lenalee whispered. "This isn't helping anything."

Kanda sighed. "This blanket isn't either. They'll get something to wrap it sometime before the next shift. I know they won't let it get infected, or else no one will buy Snow White."

"Do you think they planned to bleach his hair the whole time?"

"Probably."

"I'm right here, you know," I say hoarsely. Kanda scoffs. "It's kind of hard to miss."

There's rustling beside me before small hands clasp my right arm. "You'll be okay, right? Right, Allen?"

I smile the best I can, probably more of a grimace, and I glance at the blue-haired girl. "Yeah, Road. I'll be okay."

At that moment, I hear Tyki say, "Here's some wrapping. Better make good use of it."

A minute later, Kanda says, "This'll hurt."

He was right. Cotton on raw flesh feels like sandpaper grinding salt into your eye mixed with a little bit of battery acid. Not pleasant.

Once that was done, I open my eyes and look at Kanda, panting. "Thank you."

He nods.

"Kanda?" Road asks. He glances at her as she crawls into his lap and curls up against him. She continues, "Will you sing for us?"

"Yeah," Lenalee says. Daisya and Fou had returned during my "surgery". The young boy asks, "Please?"

Kanda looks down at the girl in his lap, and I could barely make out her bottom lip poking out. He sighs. "I suppose one song won't kill me."

In the time I've been here, I never once heard him sing. Fou said he was good though, even if his voice is somewhat weak from starvation, dehydration, and pain.

Kanda asks, "What song?"

"'All These Lives' by Doggy," Road says. He runs a hand through her hair. "It's Daughtry, not 'doggy'."

She sticks her tongue out. Kanda closes his eyes and leans against the stone wall. "Doesn't come down when she calls, 'It's time for breakfast'. Mama can't get down those halls fast enough to see. Glass is sprayed across the floor from the broken window. She can't breathe anymore, can't deny what we know. They're gonna find you, just believe. You're not a person; you're a disease.

"All these lives that you've been taking. Deep inside, my heart is breaking. Broken homes from separation. Don't you know it's violation? It's so wrong, but you'll see. Never gonna let you take my world from me. The world outside these walls may know you're breathing, but you ain't coming in."

Kanda coughed and rubbed his chest. Road yawned. After a few breaths, the bluenette wraps his arms around her, kissing her crown. "Go to sleep. We still have a few hours before the nightshift."

Road went out more quickly than a candle dropped in the ocean. Eyes closed, I heard rustling and felt blankets pushed around me and under my head. Hands clutched what was left of my clothing or slid over my waist and chest. It didn't bother me. Everyone stole each other's heat, and in this case, everyone wanted to be next to an injured brother.

"You're a moron, you know that?"

I sigh. "Lenalee might smack you if she hears this conversation."

"They're asleep," Kanda says. He pauses. "Except for Lavi."

"Nothing gets past you, does it?" I feel a jaw moving against my thigh as the said thigh is used as a pillow.

"You never sleep with bent legs. Even if you drift off that way, you straighten them afterwards."

"Good to know."

I feel Kanda's eyes on me as he says, "I don't expect you to try that again. It was stupid to begin with."

"You're a hypocrite," I say.

"He just doesn't want anyone getting hurt. Other than himself, that is," Lavi said.

"For some reason, I think his reasoning is flawed," I reply.

"You and me both."

Kanda says, "Go to sleep. Moyashi, you especially need it, though I don't think they'll put you back on duty for a few days."

I nod. I'd learned early on not to argue with him, but I usually do anyways.

Oo_oO_Oo_oO

The next day, after Kanda split up the food evenly, we ate in silence, chewing the white parts of our molded bread. The leaky pipe in the ceiling was our source of water, which we collected with a bucket. On the Noah's bath nights, Tyki leaves us a bucket of used, soapy water and another of clean water. Of course, we drink the clean water and use the water from the pipe to clean up with.

Miranda and Lenalee always took care of washing the others. Three months ago, a girl washing every part of me other than my private area…it would never happen. Yet I sat on a blanket while Miranda carefully scrubbed me down. No awkwardness. No embarrassment. Just a girl taking care of her brother. Plus a little massage at the end.

After everyone else, Lenalee and Miranda doubled their efforts on Kanda, who had the most wounds and dirt on him. I wouldn't want to be the big brother of this family, even if I would get special treatment during bath time.

Road always seemed the most content after a bath. She and Daisya get treated first and are always given special attention, but it was sweet to watch Miranda and Lenalee act like little mamas.

Kanda hissed quietly. Lenalee quickly said, "I'm sorry!"

"It's fine, Lena."

Kanda reached for his jeans and dug out something yellowish-orange. "Road and Daisya, come here."

The youngest children sat in front of him. He handed the pack of crackers to Daisya. "You each get three."

"Thank you, Kanda!" they said in unison and each hugged one of his arms.

"You, Lavi, and Marie are the biggest," Lenalee said quietly.

"Road and Daisya are still growing."

"We're all still growing."

"They need it the most."

I sigh. "It's useless to argue with him."

"Yes, listen to Moyashi."

"It's Allen, BaKanda."

"You know Japanese?"

"A little from traveling. How do you know it?"

He went quiet for a moment. "I was born in Japan. The Noah kidnapped me on the way home from school."

"I'm sorry."

Kanda doesn't reply. After he got dressed, he moved to my side. While he unwrapped my arm, he asked, "Do you remember Jack?"

"The guy from my first night?" I ground out.

"He said he'd bring fresh wrapping every night."

"Tell him 'thank you' for me," I whisper. It didn't hurt as badly as the night before, but it still hurt. I bite my lip until the metallic taste of blood taints my tongue. Kanda growls, "No. If men like him didn't exist in the world, there would be no money in sex trafficking, and if there's no money, no one would do it."

_She puts on her work clothes, fishnet pantyhose. She's got a nickname everybody knows at the gentlemen's club. She clocks in at midnight, even though it never feels right. Makes her money one dollar at a time. Without the makeup, nobody knows her name. And she wears the pain._

_Black tears rolling down from the eyes of an angel in a sinner's town. She reveals, and they all cheer. And she cries black tears._

― "_Black Tears" by Jason Aldean_

**Author Note: Yay, an update! If you're happy about it as much as I am, please, Please, PLEASE REVIEW!**

**By the way, I haven't had this happen to this story, but in the past two months, I've gotten several reviews with criticism. Not constructive criticism. Just criticism. Maybe this isn't the same for everyone, but I consider constructive criticism as advice for writing, not the story. I got someone who PMed me saying, "Please, warn properly…" My first thought was, "If you read the big letters at the top that said "WARNING", maybe you would have been warned. Anyways, just saying that as soon as I figure out how, I will delete all stupid reviews. Thank you, and I love you all! **


	3. Escape

**Thank you for all of the reviews! I promise to reply next chapter!**

**_Chains_**

_Chapter 3: Escape_

_"__I don't know, I don't know, I don't know anymore. Thought I had, thought I had it under control. Hear my voice. Here it goes. Hear it louder than most. Here it goes. Here it―one, two, three, four! It's not worth it. It's not working. You wanted it to be picture perfect. It's not over. You don't have to throw it away. So…._

_"__Scream if you wanna. Shout if you need. Just let it go. (Take it out on me.) Fight if you need to. Smash if it helps you get control. (Take it out on me.) Scream if you wanna. Shout if you need. Just let it go. (Take it out on me.) Fight if you need to. Smash if it helps you get control."_

―"_Take It Out On Me" by Thousand Foot Krutch (Tribute to Kanda Yuu, requested by MaxAngelOfDeath)_

_oO_Oo_oO_Oo_

_**Four months later…**_

I jolt awake when I hear a scream. Sitting up, I glance around the pile of sleeping kids in the dim dawn light. Next to me, Kanda held Road, who was crying and trembling. I release a breath I didn't realize I had been holding, relieved it wasn't Tyki getting more entertainment.

"Is she alright?" I ask. Kanda nods, but he doesn't look at me. "Just a nightmare. She'll be fine."

I nod. It had gotten a bit warmer the last few days, but it rained through the night. A shiver crawls up my spine.

Kanda glances at me before he lifts the blanket draped over him and Road. I shake my head. "You barely have enough covering you as it is―"

"Shut up and get closer. You might scare away a cold."

I sigh, but I don't argue. As I curl up against his side and get under the smelly, damp blanket, I whisper, "Thank you."

"Don't thank me until we find a way out of this hole." He grabs my hand and slides it under his tattered shirt. It felt like I was cuddling a giant heating pad; that's how hot his skin was. I ask, "Doesn't this bother you?"

"Sex trafficking? Yes."

"Not that. I mean…me touching you…or anyone touching you."

He paused. "You're touching me to keep warm, not because you want to bend me over and listen to me scream. I trust you with my body."

After a moment, I move my hand to his chest and trace the scars curiously. The jagged rips in his skin had healed, but deep valleys still marred the left side of his chest and shoulder. He lets out a deep breath, and I retract my hand. "Sorry."

"I don't mind. It feels weird for someone to touch me there so gently."

"One day, we'll get out of here. All of us. And you'll find an amazing girl who won't care about your scars." I rest my head on his shoulder. "I know you will."

"Well, not that I've had much to base it on, but I'm rather sure I'm gay."

"An amazing boy then."

"I don't need a boyfriend to be happy. I just want to keep my family together."

"We'll stay together."

"No, we won't," Kanda says. "I've learned several things over the years, and one of those things is the way they'll separate us. Even if the cops break in here tomorrow and save us, Kanda, Marie, and I will go to one place, you and Daisya to another, Road somewhere else, and then the rest of the girls."

"That's stupid," I mutter.

"But it's better than this."

"I know…but you can't just split up a family like that. It's…it's horrible."

Kanda combed his fingers through my now shaggy, knotted hair. "Go to sleep. You had a long night."

"You did, too."

"I'm older, so shut up and sleep."

I roll my eyes. Then they drift shut, my mind lulled by his steady breathing and body heat. "Idiot…."

Oo_oO_Oo_oO

"So why are you, me, and Lavi the only ones who don't work a morning shift now?" I ask as I shake out a blanket. During the winter and fall, business slowed, according to Lenalee, but it picked back up in the spring and summer, so more of us worked the day shift, too.

While Lavi sleeps in the corner, exhausted from his night watch as usual, Kanda lays out his blanket in the corner under the barred window, the corner where everyone slept. "Because we're on the watch list. Tyki doesn't trust us to work a corner, so he gives us the days off."

I glance at the sleeping boy on the other side of our prison. "Lavi tried once?"

"As far as I know, he got about as far as you did. Why do you think he wears that strip of cloth over his right eye?"

"In all honesty, I never thought about it." I shake out another ripped blanket, filled with holes.

"Allen."

"Hm?" I glance at him. Sapphire eyes are glued to the window. I follow his gaze and see nothing out of the ordinary. "What is it?"

Kanda walks over to the window and stands on his tiptoes, his fingers barely brushing the thin, rusting metal. "Come here for a second."

I move to stand beside him. "I'm still confused here."

"If I hold you up, can you try to break those bars?" He points to the last three bars. I nod. "Yeah, but it's metal."

"I'm aware of that," Kanda says. "What you don't know is that the edge of the concrete is raised up so water doesn't drain down here. There's strategically placed moss around the bars to make them rust more quickly."

"How long has it been there?"

"Four years maybe. I test it occasionally, and the last time, one of the bottoms cracked."

My eyes widen. "We could―"

He nods. "When I set that up, everyone here at the time agreed that we would risk it." He crouches down. "On my shoulders before I decide you're too heavy."

Slightly uneasy, I climb onto his shoulders, my rear not happy with its new seat. I reach out to touch the wall while he grabs my thighs and slowly stands, my hands walking up the wall until they reach the bars.

After only a little wiggling, all three bars broke off from the bottom.

"Now bend them forward."

That took more effort, but when my fingers brushed the overgrown grass next to the cinderblock wall, my heart leaped out of my chest. "Okay. I got it."

"Will you fit?"

"Yeah. There's a little wiggle room, too."

"Good. Now use it."

I was suddenly very glad for the long grass. Kanda pushed my feet while I dug my fingers into the soil and dragged myself out. Concrete scraped my bruised knees, and the bars' edges cut my back. By the time I cleared the window, I was bleeding in several places, and my hips were hurting more than they did before.

Cigarette smoke and the musty smell of the prison lingered in the air, but over it were honeysuckles, morning dew, and spring. I take a deep breath and smiled for the first time in months.

"You good?" Kanda asked. I crawl back towards the window. "Yeah. You coming next?"

"In just a second."

He walked away from the window, and I had to stick my nose between bars to see him as he crouched beside Lavi and shook his shoulder. How did he not wake up through that?

"Lavi, you have to take care of them for me," Kanda said. I couldn't see the redhead's reaction until he stood up. "I will."

"Make sure you massage Lena's back every night, or else she gets irritable."

"Okay."

"Road gets scared if no one holds her while she sleeps, so keep her in someone's arms."

"Okay."

"Don't let Daisya kick off his blankets in his sleep. He gets cold really easily."

"Okay."

Kanda pauses for a moment before he throws his arms around Lavi. "Keep them safe. I'll be back for all of you if it's the last thing I do."

"Kanda, I never want to see your face here again. When we get out of here, you'd better be waiting with the police."

"I will."

I pull away as Lavi boosts Kanda up. I grab his hands and help pull him up, which made his journey much easier than mine. Once he was out, we bent the bars back into place to the point where no one would notice they were ever moved.

"Stay safe. Don't get picked up again," Lavi said.

Kanda nodded. "Don't let Road or Daisya take the blame for this. They're too young to understand."

"They're going to come after me. Don't worry about it."

And from there, we ran. Kanda and I had no idea where we were, just in the middle of a forest. We wove around oaks and maples. We tripped over dozens of rocks. My legs burned with exertion, and our feet left bloodstains on the fallen leaves. Briars wrapped around our legs, but we didn't stop, letting them tear us apart. My pelvis could have shattered. Tears ran down my cheeks.

After what felt like hours, we slowed to a walk. More like dragging our feet.

"How much…farther…?" I pant. Kanda shakes his head. "Don't…know…."

While we trudge through the forest, I ask, "What are we going to do? We're in the middle of nowhere with no money, no food, and no water."

"We're going to be optimistic and hope we find a road." Kanda stopped and held out his arm, halting my steps. He tilts his head. "Hear that?"

I pause. The sound of moving water. "A stream?"

We continue to walk, a hill in sight. From the top of it, we could see a slow-moving river. Kanda says, "Well, at least now we have water and a bath."

I was already on my knees on a smooth stone jutted out into the river, cupping my hands to bring the icy, fresh water to my lips. The bluenette followed.

After a few minutes, I pull away from the river, certain that if I jumped, I could hear the water slosh around in my stomach. I close my eyes with a deep breath. The setting sun warmed my skin for the first time in months, and the air was easily seventy-five degrees, but in a free way, not the stuffy, humid way.

When I opened my eyes, a very wet and very naked Kanda sat in the smooth-bottomed river. He glanced at me. "You going to stare all day or are you getting in?"

"I'm getting in, thank you very much!" I say and pull off my shirt. Well, crop top, since the bottom got torn off. Once my shorts joined the pile of fabric we called clothing, I stepped into the cool stream. I sit and splash water over my chest and mismatched arms, the water now tinged brown. "It feels so nice to bathe."

Kanda nods. "I got to go to a hot springs once back home. I remember being so nervous because I was really modest before they got me."

"Do you have any family?" I ask as I move his hair over his shoulder and begin to wash his grime-covered back.

"No. The orphanage I stayed at didn't really look after their kids, so we pretty much came and went as we pleased. I doubt the adults noticed I was missing." He switches with me and starts on my back. "What about you?"

"I don't really know anymore. My…my dad was in a bad car accident, and it put him in a coma with little chance of recovery. We needed money to pay for the hospital bills, but no one would hire me because I was too young. That's when the guy showed up, told me I could get money working for him." I feel tears prick my eyes. "I don't know if he's even still alive…."

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah…me, too…."

Large hands caress my torso, and for once, I didn't mind. I didn't mind that someone was touching my disfigured arm. I didn't mind that I was naked. I didn't mind that I was sitting in a river in the middle of nowhere. I wasn't in a dirty, humid basement waiting to "serve" pedophiles, and that's what mattered to me.

"Are they going to be okay?" I ask as I move my gaze to Kanda's. He focuses on rubbing my shoulders. "I don't know. For all I know, we may starve out here, but I think we can make it out. We'll find some place to stay and we'll get them out. It won't be immediate, but we can do it."

I ask, "Why can't we go straight to the police?"

"I told you about the time I ran away on the day shift. All the police did was arrest me for prostitution and let Tyki bail me out."

"But―"

"Allen," Kanda interrupts. His hands drop to the water along with his gaze. "I know you want to believe that the police are the good guys, but just because they're supposed to be doesn't mean they are. There's a man that Marie sees regularly, and he wears a badge. It doesn't mean anything."

I nod, but I still didn't understand. If we can't trust the police, who do we turn to? Anybody on the street could be part of the trafficking business. Anybody could grab and rape us because we're too weak to stop it.

"Stop thinking," Kanda says. I glance up at him, but his eyes were fixed on the horizon. After a moment, I ask, "Would we be safer just in the woods?"

Silence. Then he finally answered, "Probably. But everyone else won't be."

That's when I realized why he was staring off in the distance. Because if he doesn't look at me, he doesn't have to admit there are tears slipping down his cheeks. I splash some water on his back to give my hands something to do. "What are you thinking?"

Blue eyes close. "Road wanted me to sing a lullaby for her tonight. I promised I would."

"Then sing a lullaby for her."

"It's not the same."

"Then imagine where we'll be in ten years."

"What do you mean?" Kanda asks. I pause. "Think about it: we'll all be together again. We'll be in school and some of us will have jobs so we can live in a small house. Instead of beds, our living room will have several mattresses pushed together so we can still sleep in a pile. No bruises or hurting hips, and no giving Lenalee massages because of back pain. Our stomachs will be full. We won't smell like wet dogs that rolled in manure. And you'll be able sing lullabies every night without your voice cracking."

Kanda didn't reply for a long time. When he did, he opened his eyes. "You've only been in the trade for seven months and you already find that to be the perfect world."

"Anything's better than sex trafficking."

Kanda nodded and stood, pulling me open with him. "Come on. Let's get some sleep and start walking again when it's darker. We're too far for them to find us right now."

"Okay."

We settled between the roots of a massive willow tree. Through the long tresses, stars and a half moon smiled at me for the first time in seven months. The sky faded from pink to purple and eventually to dark blue. I couldn't remember the last time I felt this at ease, even if it was only a tiny bit. Lying naked with a boy two years old than me under the night sky, protected by said boy and a willow tree. Soon, we'll all be together again. Lavi, Lenalee, Road, Daisya, Marie, Miranda, Fou, Kanda, and me. We'll be free one day. We'll be damaged goods, but we won't be forced into prostitution, starving, or dirty.

The world really is messed up, isn't it?

Oo_oO_Oo_oO

"_She says, 'We've gotta hold on to what we've got. It doesn't make a difference if we make it or not.' We've got each other, and that's a lot for love. We'll give it a shot._

"_Oh, we're halfway there. Oh, livin' on a prayer! Take my hand; we'll make it I swear. Oh, livin' on a prayer."_

―"_Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi_

**Author Note: Well, I put this story on hold, but I guess I'll change it to "one update every couple of months". I should get the next chapter out soon. Thank you guys for putting up with my gaps between updates! I love you bunches, and please, Please, PLEASE REVIEW!**


	4. Nine

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_**Chains**_

_Chapter 4: Nine_

"_As we walk among these shadows, in the streets, these fields of battle, take it up; we wear the medals. Raise your hands with burning candles. Hear us whisper in the dark. In the rain, you see the spark. Feel the beating of our hearts, fleeing hope as we depart. All together, we'll walk alone against all we've ever known. All we've ever really wanted was a place to call our home. But you take all we are, the innocence of our hearts, made to kneel before the alter as you tear us apart. So we march to the drums of the d*mned as we come. Watch it burn in the sun. We are numb!_

"_We are young, but we have heart, born in this world as it all falls apart. We are strong, but we don't belong, born in this world as it all falls apart."_

―"_Young" by Hollywood Undead_

oO_Oo_oO_Oo

"Are you looking at that case again?" asked a woman with long, blonde hair held in a bun. She leaned over the desk where a man had his dark eyes fixed on a file that read "Noah" at the top. He nodded. "I know they took her. Besides, don't you specialize in sex trafficking and sexual abuse?"

The woman straightened. "I do, but there haven't been any leads on the Noah case in months." She smiled sadly. "Komui, it's been three years since Lenalee went missing. You know that twenty-four hours is―"

"I know that." Komui closed the file and glanced at her. "And I also know that you're still looking for that boy."

Her expression hardened. "If I hadn't have been on vacation that week, I would have known he was in the trade. One of the Noah walked into this station and took a victim back to wherever they keep them, and no one stopped him."

"Klaud, you don't even know his name or what he looks like. You can't obsess over it."

"I'm finding that boy one way or another. And if you help me, I'll help you find Lenalee."

Komui nodded silently.

Oo_oO_Oo_oO

Kanda and I walk along the stream, the morning sun peeking over the trees.

"Can you hear that?" Kanda asked. I pause. "I hear a stream and birds."

"Listen closer. It sounds like a road."

I stop walking and strain my ears. There was a faint echoing. "You're right. Where's it coming from?"

He pauses. Then he turns to the left and walks onto the bank. As I follow him into the trees, the noise gets louder. Through the scattered tree trunks, I could see a thin, black line. A road.

"If we follow this, we should get to a city," Kanda said, standing next to the pavement. In the forest, the road wasn't bustling with cars, but there were several.

"What about when we get to the city though? We don't have any money," I say as we walk in the tall grass and weeds.

"We'll have money if I get some."

"What, like stealing?"

"I assume prostitution is much more rewarding when you get the money you worked for."

"No!" I protest. "I'm not letting you sell yourself! We got out of that prison so we wouldn't have to do that anymore!"

Kanda shakes his head. "There's not another option if we want to survive."

"Then let me―"

"No," he cut.

"Why not?"

"Because you actually look your age, and I'm not letting you do that."

After a long silence, I mutter, "We could try the police. Jail would be favorable."

"If we're in jail, we can't get the others out."

"There's got to be at least one good cop out there!"

"I wish."

Oo_oO_Oo_oO

"So what are you doing tonight?" Komui asked. Slinging her purse over her shoulder, Klaud deadpanned, "Was that a proposal?"

As they walk away from their shared desk, he shakes his head. "No. It's just that you never do anything outside of work. Can't we go out as friends?"

Klaud smiles. "Thanks for the offer, Komui, but I think my bathtub is calling me. I'll see you tomorrow."

They separated at the door, each going down the sidewalk. Klaud walked toward her apartment, grateful that she didn't have to worry about going through the alleyway shortcuts without her gun. Knoxville wasn't too bad from crime, but you never know.

As Klaud ambled through a dark alley, hand near her holster, she spotted something different than normal. The abandoned pet shop was creepy, but the door was always closed. Not only was it open, but Klaud could hear rummaging, and while she wasn't an officer that normally kept tabs on every little thing, she was cautious. The sound of sniffling was prominent.

oO_Oo_oO_Oo

"Hello? Is someone in here?"

I stop dead in my tracks. Kanda told me to make a bed for us before he came back and not to let anyone get close. Not even a woman; he emphasized that one a lot.

"Hello?"

It was dark inside the building, especially the back room where there were no windows. In a two-room building, there was nothing but old blankets and garbage and other than the darkness, I had nothing to hide behind. The back room didn't even have a door.

"I won't hurt you. Do you need help?"

As I huddle in the dark corner, watching the tall woman, I tell myself, _Kanda said to trust no one. He said to make yourself small and sit very still. Hold your breath. Don't let them know you exist._

Unfortunately, the woman saw me. I could only see her outline, but she didn't seem scary.

"Hi," she said quietly. "Are you lost? You're not hurt, are you?"

I push myself further into the corner and shake my head, regardless of whether or not she could see it. Apparently, she did.

"That's good. Are you the only one here? Is there someone else who is hurt?"

I shake my head again.

"Are you hungry?"

After a moment, I nod slowly.

"How about this then: you stay here, and I'll go buy you some food, okay? Do you like McDonald's?"

_What if she comes back with reinforcements? _I don't reply to her question.

She tilts her head. "I won't hurt you. I'll be alone, I promise."

_Mind reader?_ I nod.

"Is it just you? Or should I get more for someone else?"

After a minute, I say, "One more. He'll…he'll be back soon…and he…won't like you…."

"Where is he now?"

"Don't know…getting money," I say.

"He's getting money? How old is he? How old are you?"

I shake my head. "Not old…."

"Did he tell you not to trust anyone?"

I nod. "Don't tell…police bad."

She paused. "I won't tell. I'll be back in a little bit, okay?"

I nod.

The woman left. When she was gone, I jump up and start to gather whatever I could to make a bed. The blankets were damp and smelly, but with wadded up papers underneath, they made decent bedding.

Several minutes later, Kanda came in. At first, I thought it was the woman again, but I knew it was the bluenette when he spoke. "Fifty dollars. We can get something in an hour or so. I need to rest for a bit."

He sat down on our makeshift bed, and I followed, staring at my hands as they fumble with each other. "Actually…a woman came by earlier. She's bringing us some food."

"What did I tell you?" he asked. He didn't sound mad, just exhausted.

"She just wandered in here. She seemed nice, but I didn't tell her anything about us."

As I said it, there's a light knock on the open door. "I'm back."

The smell of hot, greasy food hit me like a bird into a window, leaving me a bit light-headed. However, Kanda didn't seem to care as he sat up and crawled in front of me. "Who are you?"

"My name is Klaud Nine. I brought some food for you and your friend." The woman set the paper bag and two large bottles of water on the concrete floor before she backed away. "May I ask for your names?"

Kanda darted forward to grab the offered food and water and gave them to me, back in his protective stance. "Raven Dancer and Snow White." When I take a bottle of water, he adds to me, "Make sure the seals aren't broken."

After I twist the lid off of the bottle and break the seal, I start to chug the water, suddenly the best thing ever. Kanda glances at me. "Don't make yourself sick. Take your time."

I come up for air and hand the bottle to him. He shakes his head. "That's yours."

"Drink some or I'll make you," I demand. This time, he takes the water and drinks. Not much though, much to my irritation. When he hands it back to me, he asks, "Happy now?"

"Not really. You didn't drink that much."

"I can take care of myself. Now eat or you might start drooling."

I didn't need to be told twice. Two burgers and a box of chicken nuggets lied in the bottom of the paper bag, and I quickly took the burger and unwrapped it. Nothing had smelled so delicious in my entire life.

Kanda kept his eyes on Klaud while I ate. "Why are you helping us? What's in it for you?"

"Snow White told me earlier that you don't like cops, but I'm a police officer. I like helping others," Klaud replied.

"No one does anything for free."

She pauses. "What about you then? What do you get out of helping him?" She nods to me.

Kanda doesn't reply, and I comment, "She has a point."

"Be quiet and eat," he mutters. Klaud asked, "Are you two brothers?"

"Why?"

"Because you act like it."

Around a mouthful of cheeseburger, I say, "He a figurative big brother."

Over his shoulder, Kanda shot me a sharp "shut up" look.

"I'll leave you two to eat. Will you be here if I bring food tomorrow morning?"

Kanda nods.

"Is there anything else you need?" Klaud asks. "I can bring some clothes, but I'm not sure if they'll fit."

"Disinfectant."

She nods. "If you want, I can get something set up so you can stay at my apartment. It's not much, but it's better than this."

I give Kanda a pleading look. An apartment. An actual home. Warmth and love.

But the bluenette shook his head. "Not interested."

"You're always welcome if you change your mind." As she walked out the door, Klaud said, "Goodnight. Be safe."

"You, too!" I say.

While Kanda started on his burger, I say, "I like her. She's so nice! Can we live with her for a little while?"

"You're far too trusting," he mutters with his mouth full, voice slightly muffled.

"She's taking care of us though."

"Acting."

"Not everybody's out to get us."

"Best to assume that they are first."

I nibble on a chicken nugget, afraid of eating too much. I didn't want to make myself sick. "I think we can trust her."

"And I'm leaning that way, but give it another day or two. If she passes, we can go home with her. A cop on our side is our best bet at getting the others."

At the mention of the others and what they're probably going through, I lost any hunger I had left. And I remembered how Kanda got the two twenties and two fives lying on the blanket.

"We escaped and you still had to sleep with someone you didn't want to," I murmur. Kanda glances at me, then back at his meal. "It will hopefully be the last time if Nine helps us."

But I still felt awful about it. I lie on a somewhat soft part of our makeshift bed, and after a few minutes, Kanda joins me. When I curl up against him and snuggle into his chest, I can feel his hips trembling again. They didn't do that last night, only when we were in that prison.

"Stop worrying and go to sleep. I swear, you're as bad as Lena," Kanda said. I don't reply, but when he plants a kiss to my forehead, I purr and whisper, "Goodnight."

"Night, Baka Moyashi."

"Allen, BaKanda."

Oo_oO_Oo_oO

"So what are we doing?" Komui asked as he sat on Klaud's bed. She had her head stuck in her closet. "You're a guy."

"Thanks for noticing."

"I need to know what kind of clothes a guy would want to wear," she said and pulled out a black, plaid button-up. When Komui nodded, the woman balled it up and tossed it on the bed.

"And these boys are just hiding out in an abandoned building? Shouldn't you bring them to the station so they can go into foster care?"

"They don't trust the police. And even if they did get put in foster care, they would get separated. I don't want that, and I'm sure they don't either."

Komui asked, "So are you going to bring them here?"

"If they'll come, yes."

"Then you should probably be ready to give up your bed."

"I am."

"And you're ready to feed them and buy all the things they'll need?"

"I have the money."

"And if you get attached?"

"Then I get attached."

Komui smiles. "Remind me why you aren't a mother?"

Klaud laughs. "Ha, ha, very funny."

"No, seriously. Why haven't you adopted?" Komui asked. The blonde woman pulled out a pair of sweatpants and tossed them on the bed. "I don't have enough time to take care of a baby. These boys will at least be able to take care of themselves when they're here alone."

oO_Oo_oO_Oo

The smell of sausage wakes me. I blink open my eyes, only to find that my human heater had moved. Closing my eyes again since my belly was still full, I whimper, "Kanda, where'd you go? I'm cold…."

"Baka Moyashi, there's a reason I didn't tell her our real names."

"Oh, I won't tell anyone, I promise!" a feminine voice said.

I sit up and open my eyes again, the sun barely lighting the room through the alley. Klaud set three bags on the ground and backed away so Kanda would get them. The first was a full trash bag, the second a tiny pharmacy bag, and the third from Burger King.

"And I know you guys don't trust me yet, but even if you don't stay, you can take a shower at my apartment if you want," Klaud offered.

As Kanda drags the bags to our bed, I ask, "Can we, Kanda? Please?"

He ignores my question and rummages through the trash bag, which held clothes. After he pulls out a black, plaid button-up, he pulls my crop top off my torso. I shiver, but when Kanda helps slip the shirt on my arms, I soon felt warmer than I had in a long time. The sleeves were several inches too long, and the bottom reached my mid-thighs, but I didn't care. Next, Kanda slid a pair of gray sweatpants onto my legs. If I stood, they would immediately drop, but they were soft and cozy, so I didn't care that they were huge.

While Kanda switched his tattered fabric for a gray t-shirt and jean shorts, I stand, holding my pants up, and ask, "Miss Klaud, may I hug you?"

Kanda gave me a look that told me I was an idiot.

"Go right ahead, Snow White." Klaud smiled.

Kanda gave her a look that could have made a wolf run with its tail between its legs.

"It's Allen," I say as I wobble towards her, the long pants much harder to walk in than I had anticipated. Once I get close enough, I wrap my arms around her waist and squeeze her. Her hands rub my back. "You give good bear hugs, Allen."

I nod. "I like bear hugs. Daddy told me that when you give someone a bear hug, they'll always want to come back for more."

Klaud laughs. "Well, I certainly wouldn't mind more bear hugs from you and Kanda."

From behind me, Kanda growls, "I never gave you permission to call me by my name."

"I'm sorry, Raven Dancer."

After Klaud left, Kanda said, "You're an idiot."

"I don't know how you can stand anyone calling you by that name," I mutter as he applied Neosporin to the cuts on my legs and feet.

"For six years, adults only knew me by that name. I got used to it eventually."

"Or maybe you're trying to find something wrong with Miss Klaud."

Hard, sapphire eyes burn holes into mine. "Unlike some morons I know, I don't trust appearances. She's a cop. Big deal. She's helped us. Could be a set up. She's offered us a place to stay. Next thing we know, we're back to be raped by five plus men every night." He returned his gaze to my wounds. "Let me make my decision on Nine after some time."

I sigh, but don't push.

oO_Oo_oO_Oo

"_Test my reality. Check if there's a weak spot. Clinging to insanity in hopes the world will ease up. Try and make it look like it's all somehow getting better. 'Cause I know I can play it pretty good against the measure. Everyone started out a little insane, but we learn pretty quick how to fake it for the game. But some of you never learned to drop the act, so under that skin of yours, a heart attack._

"'_Cause everybody's so scared. We don't want to go there. We don't wanna make a move. We got all our lives to lose. Standing in the dark while we just play our part, and I play all along, like I don't know what's going on. Somebody make a move. Somebody make a move. Somebody make a move. We all know, we all know what's going on."_

―"_Make a Move" by Icon for Hire_

**Author Note: Told you it wouldn't be too long of a wait! I want to know what you guys think, so please, Please, PLEASE REVIEW!**


	5. Shower

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorited, and followed! It means a lot! From now on, I'm going to reply to the reviews involving questions or things I would like to touch up on. Sound good? By the way for those of you that asked, Cross will not be in this story as far as I know, but you guys know how I am about screwing up my own plots!**

**Yuki Walker-The Kitsune: Klaud has never met Kanda before. Hope that cleared up any confusion!**

**MaxAngelOfDeath: Yes, I love TFK! "War of Change" and "Be Somebody" are my favorites.**

**Daft bean: Thanks, I'm glad you enjoy my stories! As for the romance, this story may be labeled "AllenKandaAllen" and under the "Romance" genre, but there really won't be much romance in it due to the topic and trauma. I do agree that Allen is a bit too undamaged, but I'm letting his character remain like that to balance Kanda as well as show that his "family" kept him pure, if that makes sense.**

**Hisuiryuu: Thanks! Also, if you enjoy the songs, I have a collection of song fanfictions called "Songs" (creative, I know!) if you want to check it out!**

**Tsukiko K and FionaEve-chan: Maybe Klaud and Komui will be a couple, I don't really know for sure yet myself. And you'll have to read and find out who the boy was!**

_**Chains**_

_Chapter 5: Shower_

"_She sits in her corner, singing herself to sleep, wrapped in all of the promises that no one seems to keep. She no longer cries to herself, no tears left to wash away. Just diaries of empty pages, feelings gone astray. But she will sing…._

"'_Til everything burns while everyone screams. Burning their lies. Burning my dreams. All of this hate and all of this pain. I'll burn it all down as my anger reigns. 'Til everything burns!"_

―"_Everything Burns" by Anastacia_

Oo_oO_Oo_oO

Movement wakes me. However, this time, I refuse to let my heater leave like earlier this morning and cling to his tiny waist. There's a grunt. "Moyashi, let go."

"No, and it's Allen," I grumble. "I'm going back to sleep, and so are you."

"You can sleep after you eat."

Then the smell of hot, fresh bread hits me. Klaud asks, "Neither of you are allergic to nuts, are you?"

"I'm not," Kanda says. I sit up. "No."

Chocolate chip scones, blueberry muffins, and banana nut bread. I smile sadly and bite a chunk out of a muffin. "Mana loves blueberries. We used to go blueberry picking on Saturday mornings."

"Where at? I wasn't aware there was a place like that nearby," Klaud says.

I pause, swallowing my bite. "I'm not sure exactly. I think it was on the other side of Charleston."

"Charleston?" Klaud says. "That far?"

"Huh?"

"That's hours away."

"Where are we?" I ask, suddenly confused. Weren't we in South Carolina?

"Knoxville, Tennessee."

My eyes widen.

"What's Tennessee?"

Klaud and I turn to look at a very confused Kanda, who was eating a scone.

"Where are you from?" Klaud asked. Kanda stared at her. After a long moment of silence, he answers, "Sapporo."

"Japan?" she asked.

"Yeah." Kanda's body positioning shifted slightly. It's obvious that he doesn't trust Klaud, but he'd been relaxing a little bit more and more every day. He even told me that in a few more days, we might take her up on the shower offer.

Every day for the past two weeks, Klaud has been bringing us breakfast before work and dinner afterwards. When she brings dinner, she asks if she can stay for little while and talk to us. I'm all about it, though Kanda is constantly on edge. He wouldn't let me tell her anything about how we met, what we were running from, or anything related, but I still talked her ear off. Kanda stayed silent. When Klaud asked him something, he never gave a straight answer, talking in circles or metaphors. Some I understood, but most of the time, they just went over my head.

"You're English is very good," Klaud said. "Who taught you?"

Kanda stared at her for a long another moment. Then he said, "When no one wants the kitten, it goes to the pound. It has to learn what the dogs and other cats are saying, doesn't it?"

Klaud nodded. "Of course. What happened when the kitten got adopted?"

"Who said it got adopted? Maybe it got thrown out. A hungry kitten just wants some love, but there's a reason why most run rather than rub against of the leg of every stranger it meets."

The alertness in the blonde's eyes bumped scales with Kanda's. I simply sat there in confusion, lost in their analogies.

"Did a stranger take the kitten to their house?" Klaud asked.

"The kitten got locked up in a cage."

"Then what happened?"

Kanda shook his head. "The kitten died. Became a dog."

"And when the dog was bad, did they cut him on the shoulder?" Klaud asked.

"You're reading your bedtime story too fast, Nine." Kanda pulled his shirt closer to himself, particularly on his left side, and looked to the side. "May give you nightmares."

She smiled sadly. "You set the pace."

Kanda glanced at me as I nibbled on banana nut bread. After a moment, he says, "We washed off in a river a few weeks ago. I'm sure anything with a sense of smell would be most appreciative if we bathed."

I smile. "Really?!"

"However you want to do things," Klaud says, but she can't hide the smile on her face. Kanda rolled his eyes at me and muttered, "Walk me there now. Tomorrow morning, leave your key here and you can pick it back up before you go home."

Oo_oO_Oo_oO

"You definitely made Allen happy," Klaud said as she walked down the sidewalk. Beside her, Kanda scanned the area constantly, taking in every detail for tomorrow's trip as well as to keep watch for the people around him.

"Like bribing a kid with candy," Kanda muttered.

"You don't like candy?" Klaud asked.

"I prefer my kool-aid untainted."

Klaud nods. "However, not every pitcher of kool-aid is poisoned."

"You're less likely to fall for what's poisoned if you assume everything offered is laced with venom," Kanda says while he follows Klaud around a corner. She didn't push; Kanda didn't care. But one question kept bugging him. Now would be a golden opportunity….

"Why do you do it?"

Klaud's eyebrows furrowed. "Do what?"

"Help me and Allen. What's in it for you?"

"Why does there have to be something in it for me?"

"Because at some point in adulthood, you lose your soul. You let go of your humanity like last season's trends, using others to your advantage, thinking you're so much better than a child when that child knows more about the world than you ever will." Kanda eyed a man and woman walking out of a diner. How could they laugh like that? Don't they know someone could pull a gun on them at any time? Are they that naïve or just carefree?

Klaud followed his gaze. She constantly wondered what he was thinking about. He was so young, yet more aware of his surroundings than anyone. "I'm not sure I fully agree. It's not that every adult looses their soul, just most. I think that when a person forgets the child that's still inside them, that's when they let go."

"Adults expect too much from children."

"That I agree with."

Kanda glanced at her, and then back at the sidewalk. "You're unusual for a cop."

"Why do you say that?" Klaud asked.

"You still have a soul."

"So law enforcement can't have souls?"

"For the most part, no."

Klaud paused. "Well, I'm not really a typical police officer. I specialize in sex trafficking cases."

"That's explains it then."

"Explains what?"

"What's in it for you," Kanda growled. "You find two boys in an abandoned building and think, 'Oh, there's my next paycheck.'"

"I found a scared, little boy in an abandoned building and thought, 'My gosh, he needs help. What can I do?'"

Kanda shrugs. "I've heard better excuses."

Klaud sighs, but holds her tongue. She couldn't change his mind about her; that was his responsibility.

oO_Oo_oO_Oo

"This place is really nice," I say as I glance around the small apartment. A table and kitchen to the left and living area and balcony to the right. Then there was a door on the other wall. Kanda closed the main door, locked it, and latched the deadbolt before he darted over to the balcony door, checking the lock and closing the curtains.

Well, now it was dark. Light switch…light switch….

"Don't turn on the lights," Kanda muttered as his silhouette opened the bedroom door. "We have no presence at the moment, and that's how it needs to stay."

I rush to his side and into the bedroom, not fond of being alone in a dark, open space. Not that I haven't been in those situations before, but I prefer company.

After Kanda locked the bedroom door, he walked into the bathroom and pulled me along before I could examine the bedroom in any detail.

"She said we could use whatever we found in here since we don't have lice," Kanda muttered as he inspected the small bathroom. It wasn't anything impressive. To the right of the door was a sink and vanity, then toilet, and the shower and bath was across from the entrance.

I say, "I just want a shower."

"Then start it."

"What are you going to do? Check for bombs?"

"Cameras."

"Seriously?"

"Just take your shower."

While Kanda checked the cabinets and drawers, the toilet and sink, I started to undress. It was warm in the bathroom, especially when Kanda started the shower. The squeal of the showerhead seemed so foreign to my ears it had been so long, but it made the anticipation in my chest become almost unbearable.

"You look far too content," Kanda teased as I ducked my head under the hot water.

"And you aren't? How long has it been since you had a shower?" I ask as I slide past him so he could stand under the water. He tilted his head back into the stream, eyes glued to the ceiling. "Best guess…six years."

"So you were eight when they got you," I whisper.

Kanda exhales. "Road was five when Tyki tossed her in the cage with us. She was the last person to be trapped before you came." After a moment, he moved me under the water again. "Road is related to the Noah family. We call the 'king' of the trafficking the 'Earl'. The 'queen' is Lulubell. Apparently, Lulubell got knocked up and had Road. As soon as they could market Doll, they did."

Shivers crawl up my spine. "To have to deal with something like that so young…."

Kanda doesn't reply, but I knew what he was thinking. That vacant, dead look in his eyes…I saw it constantly now. Snow White had been sold in combo packs with Raven Dancer, Bunny Love, Ecstasy, and Lioness Pride, so I knew that most of the other kids got that expression during their "service". Kanda never did. His eyes would blaze with a fighting vengeance. He would take anything that was thrown at him because he would survive. Survive and protect his family. Always.

But so far away from them, Kanda couldn't protect his family anymore. Not directly. He couldn't be a best-seller and take as much of it as he could so the others wouldn't have to. His fighting spirit never died, not even diminished, but his eyes showed the hurt he was feeling now.

While Kanda wet his hair, I ask, "Can I wash your hair?"

He nodded blankly, turning his back to me.

Oo_oO_Oo_oO

When Klaud got home after stopping by Kanda and Allen's "residence", she noticed all the closed doors and drawn curtains. Not surprising.

However, a note on the counter caught her eye. She set her purse on the couch before she walked over to the counter, picking up the paper with sloppy handwriting on it.

_Nine's Bedtime Story: Chapter 2_

_Hidden in the bushes lay an abyss,_

_An endless pit of despair and darkness,_

_Waiting for Alice, weak and defenseless._

_At eight, Raven Dancer fell in first._

_A concept he understood, but a hope he lacked._

_Alone, he couldn't give any slack._

_Dehydration; love to quench his thirst._

_At eight, Black Beauty fell in second._

_A family he wished; a tyranny he found. _

_Blood, agony, and screams were the only sound._

_Corruption; unwilling to give as the Devil beckoned._

Klaud stared at the note for a long time. How long? Enough time to reread the poem at least a dozen times and then some.

She grabbed the pen left on the counter and the notepad she kept on the coffee table. _Kanda called himself 'Raven Dancer' when we first met so he must be referring to himself. Black Beauty must be another child._ As she wrote down the names and possibilities, she added the mentioned ages. Kanda was eight. He had to be at least thirteen now, if not older.

She took her findings and notes into her bedroom, where she kept a folder in her nightstand for this particular case. Descriptions of Allen and Kanda, as well as what she had learned about them like where they were from, their interests, level of trauma, and so on. She didn't have too much, but if Kanda was opening up….

Klaud let out a slow breath, closed her eyes, and nodded to herself. _Progress. This is progress. There are others out there waiting for help. The faster, the better._

oO_Oo_oO_Oo

"Lavi…?" a feminine voice whispered.

The older boy turned his head in her direction. "Lenalee, you should sleep. Tomorrow will be even busier since it's warming up."

Lenalee reached out a hand, gently stroking Lavi's face. It was so hard to look. Sure, she couldn't see the healing flesh under the cloth, but she'd seen what happened to him. When Tyki threw him back into the cage, the left side of his face bloody like the right side had been when he tried to escape the first time.

Lavi tried not to flinch as the girl's hand touched his face. His eye…well, his eye socket constantly throbbed, so it wasn't as much painful as it was surprising. He couldn't see when someone was going to touch him, but his senses were sharpening a little more each day.

"Do you think they're safe?" Lenalee murmured.

"You ask every night," Lavi replied, one arm curled around her and the other around Road. "And I always tell you the same thing: Kanda won't die before we're safe, and Allen will keep his paranoia in check at least a little bit."

"Though, paranoia isn't such a bad thing, especially when you cross the wall," Fou muttered somewhere above Lavi's head.

"Point of no return," Marie added, one of his arms also wrapped around Road.

Miranda lay with her back against Marie's side with Daisya asleep in her arms. "Crossing the wall is just a fancy term for seeing the world under the glamour. It's not a bad thing depending on where you stand."

"We stand in an unpleasant area," Lenalee said.

"But say you're a cop. You see the world and all its crap, but you're not in a horrible position," Miranda said.

Fou scoffed. "I've definitely been in worse positions, as have we all."

"Amazing the flexibility you acquire," Lavi said.

"If the other option is broken bones or strains, I gladly choose flexibility," Marie replied.

"Agreed."

oO_Oo_oO_Oo

"_It's systematic, living in this haze, sleeping on a live grenade. Blacked out, facedown, no sound, we're blowing up this place. How long can we endure when we've tainted all that's pure? Selfish, high-risk, death wish, what if no one finds a cure? Time is running out, it's running out, it's running…._

"_I feel weak! I feel numb! Had enough of this poison we've injected. Living in this world infected. Out! Let me out! Tell me how we all got so disconnected. Sick of living in this world infected."_

―"_Infected" by 12 Stones_

**Author Note: Sorry it took so long to update! I feel like I should count how many times I've said this and start keeping track. Maybe that will remind my inspiration to check in more often. Short chapter, I know, but I wanted to end the chapter with the kids rather than going back to Allen and Kanda. I want to know what you think, so please, Please, PLEASE REVIEW!**


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